


Sealed With a Kiss

by Hartmannclan



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, I turned half the ST characters into children, Injury Recovery, Love Letters, Marine!Ben, Pen Pals, Sugar shock, Sweet, Wartime but no real talk of war, not beta’d, teacher!Rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:27:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28633242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hartmannclan/pseuds/Hartmannclan
Summary: Ben and Rey begin corresponding after he receives the care package her class sent. Will being pen pals lead to something more? 💌
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 82
Kudos: 182
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp, Numerous OTPS Infinite Fandoms





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThoughtsInMyMind](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoughtsInMyMind/gifts).



> Happy Birthday to one of my Reylo besties 🎂!!
> 
> Just in case, this story does take place during wartime, but no mention of where or when. I never really go into it, preferring to leave it vague. Ben is injured, but not from a battle.

Somewhere over the northern Pacific, a military plane cruised at 35,000 ft. Utterly unaware of the part they were playing in bringing two hearts together, the pilots chatted about the latest Army vs Navy football game. In the cargo hold, carefully nestled in a care package, a letter winged its way to a serviceman serving overseas. It’d even been sealed with a kiss...a Hershey kiss sticker, by one Miss Rey Niima; second-grade teacher. 

———————————✈️————————————

Sargent Benjamin Solo sat in bed, propped up against the headboard. Apparently, hospital beds were hospital beds no matter where in the world you were. He tried to adjust to a more comfortable position, but when one knee snarled with every tiny movement, it was difficult. He was two days post-surgery for a torn meniscus and bored out of his gourd. 

He was used to an active life serving in the Marines, and now he was reduced to sitting still all day. The only break he received from the monotony was when his best friend stopped by at the end of the day. Poe had a way of making you feel a part of all the action, even from the sidelines. Best friends since grade school, they’d even enlisted together.

Poe was late tonight, and Ben was tired of reading. Even his favorite book, Jurassic Park, couldn’t engage him. He still remembered fondly the day he and Poe rode their bikes to the local theatre to see it when it was released. And how depressed they were on their return when it was nothing like the book. 

“Hey, Old Man! Why the long face? Were they all out of stewed prunes at dinner?” Poe teased, as he pulled over a chair. Flipping it around, he sat down, before tossing a box covered in crayon and stickers.

Ben looked at the package quizzically before retorting, “Nah, it was the creamed spinach that I missed out on.” 

Poe made a gagging noise as Ben asked, “What’s this?” he motioned at the box.

“Mail came today. Got a bunch of care packages from Mos Eisley Elementary in Tatooine, of all places! I nabbed you the one with the most colors. Thought it might cheer you up, Brother.”

“Tatooine, really? Small world. Thanks,” Ben said, as he opened the box. Inside he found a pile of letters bound by twine, a package of Muppets socks, playing cards, Pokémon cards, pink sunglasses, stationery, chapsticks, and several packages of gummy sharks. 

He pulled out a baggie of sharks and offered some to Poe. “The cards will come in handy right now. I wonder how many versions of Solitaire there are?” he groaned, while his friend chuckled.

Poe stayed for a couple of hours and even condescended “to let” Ben win a few hands of Rummy. After his friend left, the quiet started to creep up on Ben again, so he pulled the box back into his lap. Withdrawing the packet of letters, he began to read while munching the last few shark gummies.

The letters obviously came from school children who had used their best handwriting; he’d only needed a little help from a passing Nurse to translate a few words. The kids wrote about what they were studying, their best friends, and asked many questions about life in a war zone. His favorite question was, “what bafroom do you go to in the dessert?” He smiled; spelling hadn’t been his strong suit as a child either.

The last envelope in the pile was of a different sort. It was on actual stationary versus the wide-ruled sheets the kids had used. The script was lovely, he noted before carefully pulling off the candy kiss sticker.

**_Dear Marine,_ **

**_I hope our letters find you well. My name is Rey Niima, and I’m the second-grade teacher. You’re probably amused by the wide “variety” of the gifts we packed. My students were so excited they bought their favorite things for you (I did try to dissuade little Rosie from choosing Muppets socks, but she was adamant that “her” Marine would be happier in the “colorful-er socks”). Armitage sent the sharks, firmly declaring that “eating them would make you braver.” Kaydel chose the sunglasses. She thinks everybody looks better with “bling”. I myself am the proud owner of a purple encrusted pair she gave me for Christmas. I think I sparkled more than the lights on my tree._ **

**_It would mean a lot to the class if you would reply. Please, don’t feel you have to, but the magic of letters is something that is being lost in our digital world. There’s nothing quite like receiving correspondence in the mail. Not like a bill of course, but a note letting you know you are remembered by someone. It’s much more personal than an email._ **

**_If I may take a moment also to thank you for your service._ **

**_Best Wishes,_ **

**_Rey Niima_ **

—-———————————📫———————————

Across the ocean, and two weeks later, Rey puttered around her room getting ready for the day. It was only September and the excitement of a new school year hadn't worn off yet. She was in the midst of laying out math workbooks when the door to her class opened with a squeak. Ms. Kanata, the schools’ secretary, came in brandishing a manila envelope.

“Guess who got a reply to their letters?!” she crowed.

Rey placed the books down on the nearest tiny desk, and eagerly grabbed the mail.

“Thanks, Maz! The children will be so excited,” Rey replied.

When she was alone once more, Rey eagerly shuffled through the letters. Whoever had received their care package had taken the time to answer every child. _How thoughtful_ , she mused and then paused. There was one for her too, and longer by the looks of it.

  
  


**_Dear Ms. Niima,_ **

**_Thank you for organizing the package I received, and for telling me a bit about the children who sent items. I was able to give more personal replies to the children with it._ **

**_Writing the letters helped fill my days, which of late, have been tedious as I’m currently recovering from knee surgery. Rosie’s colorful socks have been the talk of the ward and everyone smiles when they see them, even the Doctors._ **

**_I’m enclosing some of the local currency for your class. I thought they might like to see it and learn something about a new culture. Maybe one day, they will want to see the world for themselves. The military has certainly afforded me that opportunity._ **

**_Believe it or not, I’ve been to Tatooine! Have you met the tiny lady who runs the taco stand on Main Street? Maz was her name, and she was a wizard with tacos. Try the brisket one. Trust me._ **

**_My Drill Sargent, a.k.a. Nurse, has come to take me for physical therapy, so I must sign off. Thank you again for your letter; it brightened my day._ **

****

**_Sincerely,_ **

**_Sgt. Benjamin Solo_ **

  
  
  


————————————📨———————————

  
  


**_Sgt. Solo,_ **

**_Hello! I hope you don’t mind my writing again. I wish you could see how happy you made the children. Each letter was treasured, shrieked over (that’s a good thing), and shared. I think they came up with a thousand more questions than I had answers for. Believe it or not, teachers don’t know everything (but that’s our little secret, so shhh)! I’m including the list on a separate sheet of paper if you want to answer them._ **

**_How is your recovery going? I’ve heard knee surgery can take a long time to heal. I hope I’m not being too nosy, but what happened? Was it something horrid? The news can be awfully vague at times making it hard to follow the insurgencies. I sincerely hope you’ll be as good as new soon._ **

**_I’m pleased to tell you that Maz’s Taco Shack is still a local mainstay. I went there last week, at your recommendation, with friends and tried the brisket taco. They were mouthwatering! I might have eaten myself sick, but it was worth it. Thanks for the heads up!_ **

**_Would you be surprised to know that I actually work with Maz? She is the school secretary! Her husband, Chewie, runs the Taco Shack with a friend or something. Small world, huh? I’m surprised anyone knows Takodana exists except the few unlucky enough to live here. How do you know it?_ **

**_Regards,_ **

**_Rey Niima_ **

  
  


**_🦋_ **

  
  


**_Ms. Niima,_ **

**_Thank you for writing again, it was unexpected and all the sweeter for it. I hope the answers enclosed in this letter will help satisfy some of your students' curiosity. Kids truly do ask the darndest things, don’t they? How you manage to wrangle a room full of wriggling, inquisitive eight year old’s, I have no idea. Just the thought of being surrounded by that many children makes my stomach flutter, and I have an iron stomach. Tell Rosie, that no, I am not able to send any secret codes to her. I fly the jets, not crack codes._ **

**_My knee is doing alright. It still aches and I get pretty grumpy during therapy. I tore my meniscus during a skirmish (I may or may not have been a bit foolish, now that I think about it). It didn’t heal on its own with time, so they had to repair it surgically. It’s been about six weeks so I am almost halfway through, hopefully. It’s hard for me to be inactive but I do what I can to keep fit and busy. Your letters brighten my week, ma’am._ **

**_It thrills me to know that some things in the world don’t change. Life on active duty, especially during wartime, keeps the view changing frequently. Maz’s was a favorite hangout of a friend and myself when we were stationed at Fort Chandrilla. Maz was like everyone’s personal fairy godmother of tacos. She always knew when you needed some comfort food and advice. Maybe someday I’ll get back to visit her, but until then, please pass on my warmest greetings._ **

**_Ms. Niima, I hope it isn’t too forward, but would it be alright if I kept writing to you? I don’t often receive actual mail, as my parents tend to email and Skype, and my friends are all with me on base. It’s nice to be...remembered. Please feel free to call me Ben. Benjamin is the one who always gets in trouble with his Mother._ **

**_Sincerely,_ **

**_Ben_ **

**_————————————✉️———————————_ **

****

**** The days passed into weeks as letters sailed back and forth across the ocean with increasing frequency. The unexpected pen pals were delighted with each other and haunting the mailman’s shadow became a favorite pastime. Rey learned about Ben’s love of slap-stick comedy and seafood. Ben discovered Rey’s craving for spicy food and utter loathing of sand. _It was a good thing he hadn’t told her where he was stationed_ , he thought, as he read her latest letter. 

  
  


**_Dear Ben,_ **

**_How could you possibly think that Twizzlers are superior to Kit Kat’s?! If you’d told me you were this lacking in taste I never would have given your letter a second glance. Twizzlers are like plastic food; even I don't want to eat it! Unfortunately, I can’t send chocolate in a care package to prove my point. I guess we’ll never know who’s right (me), and who’s wrong (you)._ **

**_I took the kids on a nature walk today on the way to the library. Not the grandest field trip by any stretch of the imagination, yet somehow seeing the seasons change through a child’s eyes is special. Every leaf that fell sent Rosie into raptures. She wanted to take them all home to show her mother (that wouldn’t have won me any brownie points). I talked her down to two...I wonder if I should have been in the Diplomatic Corp instead? I can be quite persuasive._ **

**_I was eating dinner with Finn last night, and he was asking me about our letters and what I hope the future holds. To be honest, it caught me off guard a bit at first._ ** **_But then he pointed out how I_ ** **_Never mind that last bit. I only ever wanted to be a friend to someone. We are friends, aren’t we, Ben?_ **

**_Waiting in suspense,_ **

**_Rey_ **

**_P.S. (***) 987-6543 friends have each other’s numbers, right?_ **

  
  


**** Ben stared at the letter in his hand. She gave him her phone number. _She gave him her phone number!_ He wondered what her voice sounded like; would it be light and lyrical, or gentle? He _was_ going to call her, right? Leaning back, he ran a hand through his sweaty hair. At least she hadn’t asked him to Skype. He’d been so excited to receive her letter, that he’d skipped his normal shower after physical therapy and headed straight to his room.

He perused the missive again, what had she been about to say in the last paragraph? Of course, they were friends! But... maybe deep down he hoped she was as pretty as she was adorable in her letters. That maybe something special would bloom out of this correspondence. He loved to hear her thoughts on books she was reading or which kid was frustrating her at work. He gazed back at her words “I only ever wanted to be a friend.” Had he written something that made her uncomfortable? 

He had to call her. _Nothing ventured, nothing gained,_ he thought. Doing some quick mental gymnastics he deciphered the time difference, and with a shaky hand, dialed carefully. International phone calls were a pain.

The phone rang twice, three times, four... and then a woman answered, “Hello?”

“Can I speak to Rey, please?” he asked with only the faintest hesitation.

“This is she. Who’s…? Ben, is that you?” Rey asked.

She had an accent. It was perfect. So perfect he almost got hung up on because he didn’t answer her back.

“YES! Yes, it’s Ben. I mean me. I’m Ben.” Inwardly he groaned, how much more of an idiot could he be?

Rey giggled at his reaction. “Hi. It’s nice to put a voice to a name. I...I wasn’t sure if you’d call right away, or at all.”

“I got your letter.” 

“I figured that’s how you got my number, otherwise this has gotten creepy,” she replied, a hint of humor laced her words.

Ben sincerely hoped she wasn’t laughing at him. So far he hadn’t made a very good impression. Why hadn’t he kissed the blarney stone when he had the chance when he was stationed near Ireland? Maybe then he would be able to talk to someone he admired without sounding like a fool.

Eventually, though, they fell into an easy conversation; due more to Rey’s gentle encouragement than any bravado on his part. He decided he wouldn’t mind listening to her talk for hours, but international calls were expensive, so he’d better wind it up. He had one burning question left; he had to know. 

“Rey, what were you going to say that you crossed out in your letter? What do you want from me?” 

There was silence on the other end of the line for a heartbeat, and then she said, “Finn overheard me turning down a date earlier this week and he wondered why I um-,” she cleared her throat, “he was afraid that maybe I was getting too attached to-... He’s like my big brother and he worried if I...wasfallingforyou,” she said in a rush. “Like, I don’t even know if you’re single? Or- I don’t know, I’m probably just rambling on at this point so feel free to interrupt me,” she finished hastily. 

Ben could tell she was obviously embarrassed.

“Rey?” he said quietly.

“Yeah?” She whispered.

“I like you too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As letters continue to wing across the ocean, our duo have their first date...via Skype.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Life happened...  
> Prepare for fluff and feels :)
> 
> CW: mentions of wounded, but nothing explicit.

Autumn seemed to pass by in a whirl of children’s laughter and pumpkin spice lattes for Rey. Her students' usual cheer had reached a fever pitch by Halloween day, and it was with great joy she had excused the kids that afternoon, wishing them fun and urging them to be safe trick-or-treating. For herself, she spent the evening babysitting Rosie, passing out candy (eating even more of it), and texting with Ben while watching ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’. She had been inspired by the movie to attempt bobbing for apples. She and Rosie had ended up soaked and apple-less, but happy. They’d eaten the apples dipped in caramel, and rolled in Reese’s Pieces. 

After the holiday things had settled down again. November continued as it began, cold and dreary. There wasn’t much snow to speak of, but plenty of bitter wind. Rey and Ben still wrote letters, but now talked on the phone as often as their schedules allowed. Rey had taken to tucking the L.A. Times crossword puzzles into his letters and, once he received them, they’d make a race of finishing them. If they couldn’t finish, which was often, then the winner was decided by who got more clues correct. 

**_Dearest,_ **

_**I can’t sleep, and it’s much too late to call anyone, so you will be getting an extra letter instead. Don’t worry, it isn’t for any awful reason I can’t sleep. Just my mind feeling so full of thoughts they must tumble out my fingers to dissipate. I know some are frightened by the dark, but I find it an excellent place to think. There are no distractions and no tasks to take up, not even the sunshine to admire. Just me, myself...and you. Sometimes it feels like you’re like the baby doll I used to carry with me everywhere I went when I was eight. Mia was always with me, and I talked to her incessantly. I remember taking her to the children’s museum and lifting her up to see every exhibit.**   
_**_Throughout my day, I find myself noticing things I want to show you, or tell you, the next time we talk. We had our first snowfall today, though November is a bit late for that here. I wished you were with me to go for a long walk and read by the fireplace. I would have stolen your socks and tucked my ever cold feet under you to warm them up afterward! Instead, I went with Maz and played board games with her and Charles after. It was nice, though I’m almost positive I caught her cheating at least once! Next time I’ll offer to be the banker.  
_** ** _I have been doing a bit of research on the meniscus. The human body is a fascinating machine; I just wish it wasn’t because of your on-going struggles with yours that I learned about it. Don’t be disheartened yet, FlyBoy. Some of the best doctors are there to help you recover your full range of motion back. You’ll be “attempting” to run laps around me when you finally get to visit._**

 **** **_Your night owl,_ **

_Rey_

  
**_🦋_ **

**_  
_** **_Dearest Night Owl,_ **

_**It was a surprise to receive your letter today since we had talked just yesterday. I do agree that the darkness reveals a unique side of ourselves. It reminds me of the song from Phantom of the Opera, Music of the Night. It certainly does “stir and wake imagination.” Will you laugh if I confide that I used to be afraid of the dark as a child? I had this recurring nightmare about a bald-headed, wizened old man trying to get me. My Mom bought me a nightlight that projected stars across my ceiling to help comfort me, while my dad bought me a Nerf blaster to shoot “the b*stard” if I saw him. My mom rolled her eyes at that but kept me armed with Nerf bullets anyway. I have both gifts, still.**   
_ **_I hope little Armie came off his high horse for you today. Imagine, turning your nose up at a birthday cupcake simply because it was homemade. Sheesh. I thought a love of all things sugary was universal in rugrats!  
_ ** **_This will probably be old news by the time you get this letter, but that’s okay. I wish I could call you now, but you’re working. It was hard not to be discouraged today; they’ve given me a desk job since I’m still unable to pass the flight fitness test. I signed up to serve and I’m glad to be able to do it in some capacity, but paperwork ‘ain’t my first love, Sweetheart.’ I can’t see myself making a career of this. Oh well, that’s a worry for another day though._ **

**** **_Your Landlubber_ **

**_P.S. How do you feel about Skype? I’ve set up an account... we could talk, face-to-face?_ **

  
  


**_————————————📝———————————_ **

**** Rey paced around her small front garden, dormant for the winter, rounding it for the sixth time in her attempt to work out her jitters. Dead leaves crunched under her boots as she went. She paused to glance at her watch, fifteen minutes _. I’m never going to make it..._ Sighing quietly, she began her loop again. 

She and Ben had a date to Skype tonight. It wasn’t a conventional date, by any means, yet she was still a bundle of nerves. This was the last hurdle in their burgeoning relationship, meeting face-to-face, but the first most couples naturally started with, was there attraction between them? 

Ben has been very particular that it _was_ a date during their last phone call. He had said that just because they weren’t in the same room, or continent, didn’t mean he couldn’t see how special she was. He knew his heart, he’d told her, and he wanted to be hers officially. So, they had decided to date long-distance until he came home.

She cared for him, maybe already loved him a bit, if she was honest. But...there was a but. _What if_ she wasn’t remotely attracted to him? Would she learn to look past that and be drawn to his inner man? Or, what if he thought she was platter-faced? She considered herself pretty, but nothing out of the ordinary. It’s not like she’d been beating men off with a stick the past few years. Of course, she hadn't been looking either. Teaching consumed a lot of her time, and when she had free-time she didn't want to spend it being a guinea pig to her friends' matchmaking. 

Rey banished the recollection of a particularly horrid blind date and recalled instead Ben's last phone call; blushing, she pulled her jacket closer against the chilly breeze. They had never exchanged photos, content to get to know each other through letters. What if he somehow looked like he sounded? She loved to listen to him talk. She shook her head; _looks aren't everything_ , she reminded herself. _He is kind, funny, and thoughtful; those were more important attributes._

She smiled at the memory of receiving a gift from him back before Halloween. He’d said it had reminded him of her, or maybe it was just the child selling it. It had been handmade purple beads strung on a double loop; she’d worn it to work the next day and the children had attempted to make their own necklaces in art class. 

Another glance at her watch, thirteen minutes; Rey bit her lower lip as giddy excitement flooded her. _She couldn’t wait…_

—————————-

  
Rey had decided that the best place to take the call was her bedroom, simply because she’d be most comfortable there. She sat, perched upon the butter-yellow comforter, a pile of white throw pillows at her back. Skype was pulled up on her laptop, ready, and she waited. Her fingers tapped a little ditty as she tried to distract herself with Candy Crush.

“This game cheats,” she grumbled at her phone.

The computer chimed, startling her, _he was calling!_ She quickly silenced her phone, tossed it down on the bed, and answered. At first, the picture was a little grainy, and Ben was a blob of browns and beiges. Slowly, at least to her, the internet caught up and the picture cleared. 

There he was…and what a ‘He’, he was! Ben seemed to fill up the screen with his physical presence. She drank in the sight of him like he was an oasis in the desert. Dark hair framed pale skin. Thanks to his military haircut, she was able to see those ears that he’d often lamented being the owner of. She couldn’t blame him, they _were_ a bit big, but she thought they were kinda cute.

Her eyes caught several dark moles scattered across his face before they rested on his coffee-colored eyes. He was grinning at her from across the world, and yet she felt it down to her toes. Ben was _very_ attractive. 

“Hi, Ben,” she uttered softly, once she realized neither of them had spoken yet. 

“Hey, Rey. It’s nice to finally have a face to put to a name. I uh…” he leaned back and closed his eyes, “I hope you aren’t disappointed?” he laughed nervously, and then leaned in again with a shy smile. “I know I’m not. Rey, you are...hell, you are so far out of my league.”

She made a slight dissenting shake of her head. 

“No, I’m not, Ben.”

“Rey, hasn’t anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” he asked, voice hushed.

She felt a blush growing on her cheeks at his compliment. 

“Well, yeah, I have...but they weren’t _you_. You make me feel like I’m the only woman you’ve ever seen.”

“Maybe you are; everything with you feels new and exciting. Rey, I..” Ben looks off-screen for a moment. “I wish I could hold you right now,” he whispered with longing. 

“So do I…”

“Soon, Sweetheart; soon,” he promised.

Thankfully, their shared longing seemed to break the nervous tension between them, and they fell into pleasant conversation. Rey enjoyed hearing the tales of Poe & Ben “World Explorers”, and all the hijinks they’ve managed to get into at the various stations they’d shared. Ben swore that Poe was the one to drag them into trouble, but she told him he was smirking too much for her to trust him. Rey made a mental note to be wary of his smirk in the future; _apparently, it melted her insides to goo._

Rey told Ben about the latest children’s antics at school; how practices for the upcoming Christmas Concert were going, and who refused to stand next to whom. Kaydel and Rosie had held a yelling match at recess over who would make a better Suzy Snowflake for the event. 

“Kaydel wants to wear a dress covered in white sequins that “sparkle the mostest under bright lights,” Rey said using air quotes. “Rosie wants to make a large snowflake out of K*Nex painted white, and rolled in glitter. She thinks “Kay is a poopyhead who just wants to show off!” she finished with a chuckle. 

Ben laughed with her. “I wonder what Poe would say if I called him a poopyhead? I bet that’s one swear word he _hasn’t_ heard yet.” 

He looked suddenly to the side, a voice calling him off-screen, and Rey took the moment to yawn. Her six a.m. alarm had been hours ago. Ben returned with a small frown.

“Hey, I hate to cut our date short, but I’ve gotta go. There’s been a skirmish nearby and they could use some extra hands in the hospital for incoming wounded.”

Rey nodded in agreement, “Be careful, FlyBoy, please. You still owe me a hug, and I've started keeping track, so you know," she teased. "I had fun tonight. Let's do it again soon, okay?”

“Me too. Talk to you soon; I promise.”

“Okay, bye!” She waved awkwardly at the computer.

“I Love you!” Ben replied, reaching up to shut off his laptop, and promptly hung up on a speechless Rey. 

————————————❤️———————————

~~**_Cupcake Sugar_ **~~ **_Starlight,_ **

**_Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you spent the day surrounded by your loved ones and as stuffed as the turkey. The cooks here went the extra mile to make us a special dinner, and I couldn't eat another bite myself. Thankfully the day has been a quiet one so more of the guys have been able to call home. We're all homesick today. My parents called and I caught up on all the home news. I'm not sure anything goes on in Chandrilla that she doesn't know. She's not nosey, per se; it's more like she's the spider reclining on her silken throne and all threads lead to her. You'll love her, she's feisty._** ** _  
As you can see I haven’t quite settled on a nickname for you. Nothing seems to capture your dearness. You should hear some of the pet names the guys in my battalion call their girlfriends, “Scavenger, Princess, Your Highness, Angel…” one guy even calls his wife “Darth Plageous”, because she, “plagues his heart out.” None of those are terribly flattering.  
_** ** _I’m so glad we had a chance to Skype. Seeing your beautiful smiles made my time helping the guys in the hospital more bearable. I’m always glad to offer a listening ear to the guys who’ve been wounded, or hand nurses supplies, but it can be draining emotionally. But now I have you to think of and it reminds me why we’re fighting in the first place.  
_** ** _I know we’ll be talking on the phone before this letter makes it into your hands, but there’s so much_** **you** **_filling my thoughts, and I want to share it with you. Do you feel it too? How every day the distance between us feels further the more I want to be near you. Sometimes I feel lonely for you, and then remember we’ve literally never been in the same room together! I have never dated anyone long-distance before, so this is definitely a new experience for me. I’ve never met anyone willing to put up with my deployments, let alone those who challenged me to be a better person. The distance is hard but_** you are worth it _.  
_ ** _Which leads me to the other night. When I said, I love you, before hanging up. I didn’t have time to process what I’d said until I’d finished at the hospital for the night. But, d*mn, I wished I’d had a chance to call you back! Sleep was slow in coming that night. In all honesty, I didn’t mean to say it, it slipped out naturally, but I think, no,_ ** **I know,** **_I love you. I’ve fallen fast and hard for you, and I hope you’ll be waiting for me when I get home.  
_** ** _I’ve decided not to reenlist when my contract is up. I have several reasons other than you, so no nagging me that I’m ruining my career for you. You wouldn’t like that, would you? My knee is never going to be the same, and I can't fly for the military anymore. I'm not interested in a desk job or anything else; it's flying that's always been in my marrow. I’m not sure exactly when I will be discharged, but I’m coming home, Starlight. I’ll be able to hold you soon, I hope._**

**_the Stargazing Sargent_ **

  
**_————————————✈️———————————-_ **

**** **_Maz,_ **

**_I don’t know if you remember me, but I used to hang out at the Taco Shack with Poe Dameron. I even played poker with Chewie a few times when I was stationed in Tatooine several years ago. I was that “Moody Marine”._ **

**_I hope you remember me because I need a rather large favor. Rey Niima is my girlfriend and I’d like to surprise her with my homecoming. She knows I’m being discharged, but not when. I just received word that I can leave on the —th. I’d like to do something special for her at the end of the Christmas Concert. There are a few students I also have to thank for their care package._ **

**_Please reply quickly if you can. I don’t have much time to pull something together. My number is Xxx-xxx-xxxx or my email ———@.com_ **

**_Sincerely,_ **

**_Sgt. Benjamin Solo_ **

  
  


**_🌮_ **

**_(Email)_ **

**_Dec. --th_ **

**_Ben dear,_ **

**_Of course, I recall you! How old do you think I am to forget the only Marine to eat more tacos than my dear husband, Chewie, in one sitting?!_ **

**_I’d be glad to help you surprise Rey. She deserves all the happiness life can give her. If you hurt my girl though, just remember, I know more places to bury a body than you do._ **

**_Maz_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am playing fast and free with my very basic knowledge of military life; humor me. 
> 
> Any guesses on the type of surprise Ben is planning?! 
> 
> If you've never watched any Military Homecoming videos on youtube, go now. Take kleenex, and learn a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices our service men & women make; their families too. I love those videos. 
> 
> I had to up the chapter count. My Muse wouldn't shush. So the HEA w/epilogue will be the third chapter. Till then!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben comes home....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *passes you a Kleenex 🥺 Prepare yourself for sugar shock ❤️

Rey fluttered around backstage the night of the Christmas Concert, herding her students back into line. _Please, let them stay put this time,_ she silently prayed. The children were wound up with excitement, and kept slipping out of line to peek from behind the curtains to see their families. _Herding cats, like kids, is pointless_ , she thought, blowing out a frustrated breath. 

Maz swooped in like an avenging angel just then, and managed to wrestle the class into order again.

“Thanks, Maz,” Rey whispered. “The kids are bouncing off the walls tonight.”

“No problem, dearie. After ordering Chewie around for so long, these kiddos don’t stand a chance against me. Hang in there,” Maz said, patting Rey’s hand, “The night’s not over yet.”

“Oh, okay then. Thanks for the...encouragement? Looks like our turn is up! Come on class…” she whisper-yelled, pointing them towards the risers on-stage. Her students filed out relatively quietly, leaving Rey in the wings with Kaydel and Rosie. The music teacher had broken the tie and said it would be fine to have two Suzie’s this year, as long as they didn’t plow each other over while they danced. 

The performance turned out well. All the children (save one Armitage Hux who had no musical sense, and yelled the lyrics instead) sang their hearts out. If it was off-key and off-beat, no one seemed to mind. _It's the imperfections that make it special anyway_ , Rey smiled fondly. Parents and grandparents would take videos of a crying child as proudly as a singing one.

After the last class had presented their songs and the children rejoined their families, Amilyn Holdo, the school's principal, walked onto the stage.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for attending tonight's concert. It means so much to the students to have their hard work appreciated." She waited for the polite applause to die down before continuing. "Before I release all of you to partake of refreshments, I'd like to invite a special guest to the stage. He's come a looong way to celebrate with us this year, kids! Ohhh, Santa!!" she called out, as she turned to face backstage.

Excited squeals filled the air, growing into a roar, as St. Nicholas walked out onto the stage, waving, a large red sack slung over his shoulder. Children bounced up-and-down on their seats, waving frantically at the jolly old elf, while the grown-ups attempted to settle them back down. From behind the curtains, a parent hefted an ornate chair out for Santa to sit on.

Ms. Holdo started motioning for quiet, and yelled out, "One...two...three, all eyes on me!" 

It took a minute, but eventually the kids realized there would be no presents without quiet and they plopped down one-by-one. Santa, meanwhile, sat quietly ensconced on his throne, hands clasped over his belly. Maybe if she hadn't been so distracted by rowdy children, Rey would have noticed how Santa kept flexing his hand, or that his eyes seemed to be scouring the auditorium in search of someone, or something, in particular.

Instead, Rey sat quietly chatting with Kaydel's mom, Carrie, oblivious, as people often are before life altering moments. 

"Here's how this will work," Ms. Holdo announced. "I'm going to call the teachers up, and they'll receive the gifts from Santa. So, kids, find your teacher before you leave tonight and get your present, okay?"

One by one, she called the teachers forward. The adults in the auditorium quickly became intrigued by the unusual response of the staff to him. Each time a teacher spoke to Santa a look of surprise came over their faces. Then they'd take a moment to shake his hand, and each left with a knowing smile on their face. 

Rey was the last to be called up, and she was bursting with curiosity. _What had he been saying to everyone? There was such a strange energy filling the room, like the calm before a storm broke._ Even Ms. Holdo seemed to be watching her walk across the floor intently.

Rey realized, as she drew up in front of him, that Santa must have had a growth spurt; she'd never meet a ‘Santa’ quite so tall! He seemed to wear the throne instead of the other way around. He held his hand out to her, silently inviting her to sit on his lap. She was tempted to decline, but surely, with so many witnesses, there couldn't be anything inappropriate in it. 

She sat down tentatively, not wanting to hurt the older gentleman, but to her surprise, it was quite a muscular thigh beneath her. 

"Hi, Santa," she whispered. "What are we doing?" she inquired. “No one else got to sit on your lap.”

"I've heard you were _especially_ good this year," he replied with a wink.

"And who told you that, I wonder?" she pried.

"You did."

"I...did?" She looked at him quizzically. "I hate to tell you, Santa, but I haven't written you a letter in years."

"Yes, you have," Santa persisted.

Rey looked at him, startled by his continued insistence. Her eyes searched his, looking for some clue to his behavior. Before she could formulate a response, he asked her another question.

"So tell me, what is _your_ Christmas wish this year?" he asked.

"Oh! Um, it would have to be world peace," she replied.

"That's a pretty tall order," he countered. "Any particular reason why?"

Rey felt like squirming under Santa's intense gaze. Why did he look at her like she was the only one in the room? She peeked over her shoulder at the waiting audience.

"Because, I want the service people to all come home safely. I know how it feels to be apart." Tears began to flood her eyes.

"Who," Santa's voice cracked, "who are you waiting for?"

Rey smiled through her tears. "My boyfriend, Ben. He's a Marine," she said proudly 

"You know what? I think I can help with that wish after all." 

He motioned for her to stand up, and left a puzzled Rey watching him walk toward the curtains. When he was hidden out of sight of the audience, yet not to her, he began to undress. At first, Rey's eyes bugged out of her head, _in front of the kids?! Really, Sa--_

"Ben," she said breathlessly, as she watched him emerge from the red suit and beard. Underneath were his camos, but it was his smile that she’d know anywhere. She stood still, frozen to the stage, afraid he was simply a mirage. At his first step toward her, she ran across the space with a strangled cry, and catapulted herself into his arms, clinging to him like a koala bear. He rocked her gently back and forth, whispering words of love into her ear as she sobbed gently against his chest. 

“I can’t believe you're here!” she uttered through thick tears. Rey pulled back slightly to place both hands on his face. “Are you really here? Am I just dreaming again?” she cried.

He placed a hand gently behind her head and drew her closer. Her hair smelled of lavender and honey, he thought distantly. “You’re not dreaming, Sweetheart, and neither am I,” he paused for a moment, unable to speak another word. “I left as soon as the paperwork came through. I didn’t even go home first. Just don’t tell my mother,” he chuckled wetly. 

“I love you, Ben,” she whispered.

“I love you, to the end of the earth and back,” he vowed. 

They stood there wrapped up in each other as the staff began to clap and cheer, more than a few people wiped away tears of their own. And it was there on the stage, that they shared their first kiss. 

  
  
  


\-------------------------------------------

Epilogue

\-------------------------------------------

~Five months later~

  
  


Morning sunlight poured through the windows on the last day of school. Thanks to the oncoming summer, the room was growing a mite stuffy already. Rey opened one of the windows and breathed in the fresh air before stepping away. Her students were absorbed in writing and illustrating stories of what they hoped to do over the vacation. 

She wandered throughout the room, touching a head, pointing to a nice drawing, or helping with spelling. It had been a good year. All of her students had seen growth and overcome obstacles. It had been rewarding. She was going to miss this group of kids, they’d kept her on her toes and been a part of the path that had led her to Ben.

“Special delivery!” Maz called out, disturbing the quiet as she entered the classroom.

Twenty little heads bobbed up to see what was going on, and if it was more interesting than school work. 

“Looks like Mr. Solo’s old battalion sent a last batch of letters to you,” Maz said. “Can I pass them out, Ms. Niima?”

Rey smiled. “Of course. I can’t wait to hear what your pen pals have to say!” she commented as Maz began handing out the envelopes.

“Miss Rosie, for you.”

“Mr. Hux, here is yours; and look! A shark was drawn onto the back,” Maz noted.

The secretary made her way down the rows of desks, happy to see that none of the children had been forgotten. 

“And one for you, Ms. Niima!” 

Maz handed Rey an envelope covered in delicate script, and covered in Hershey kiss stickers. She’d recognize Ben’s handwriting anywhere. A quiet smile graced her lips as she recalled the countless letters that had flown between them. She had them still; wrapped in a red ribbon and tucked in her sock drawer. 

She opened her letter…

**_Answer the question, Rey…_ **

Rey flipped the piece of paper back over, nothing was written on the other side either. Strange… She looked up to find similar puzzlement upon the faces of her students. 

“Ms. Niima, what’s this supposed to mean?” Kaydel asked, holding up her letter. Upon the paper could be seen a single giant, block letter ‘L’. 

Rey shrugged her shoulders, mystified for a moment.

“Ummmm, I don’t….do all of your letters have- well, _one_ letter only?”she queried.

“Mine does, teacher.” Armitage stated. 

“Imma big ‘A’, Ms. Niima!” Rosie giggled. “Maybe it’s a grade for being a good pen buddy?”

“No way!” Armitage insisted. “I have a ‘Y’; that’s _not_ a grade, stupid,” he proclaimed with a sneer. 

“That’s enough of that, young man. There is no such thing as a stupid question in my room,” Rey reprimanded. She thought for half a moment, then told her class to come stand at the front of the room with their letters. Maybe they could sort them out into words, and thereafter, a message. 

All the kids scrambled out of their desks, eager to solve the riddle, or waste more time. 

“Alright, kids. We have 2-y’s, 1-o, 2-m’s, 1-e,1-I,1-a,” Rosie cheered for her ‘A’, as Rey continued to write letters on the whiteboard, “...um, where was I? Oh yes, 1-w, 1-u, 2-l’s, 2-r’s, 1-question mark, annnnd three hearts plus the words ‘Star’ and ‘light. Where should we begin?”

The kids called out various words they could make: me, may, will, ram, law, Rey (the children were excited to see that one) & mom. 

“Ms. Niima?” Rosie asked, hand raised. “Hearts don’t go inside words, but could go in the middles. Like a Oreo cookie! White in the middle.”

Rey beamed. “Good point. Let’s spread them out a bit, and put this question mark at the end, because…?” she asked, turning back to look at the kids.

“Question marks go at the end of interrogative sentences!!!” they echoed back. 

“Good job! Now don’t forget that over the summer break,” she teased with a smirk. “Okay, now Mr. Solo calls me Starlight, so that word goes here.” She placed the two words at the end of the sentence while the children tittered. 

“Starlight is a dorky nickname,” one child muttered.

“Is not!” Kaydel declared. “It’s romantical!”

“Okay!” Rey spoke over the children to get their attention again. “That leaves us with a bunch of letters. What shall we do next?” She turned to look back at the board, tapping the dry-erase marker against her teeth.

“I would think that’s rather obvious, Rey,” Maz chimed up from the back of the circle. Sometimes the belonging we seek is right in front of us.”

“Huh?” Rey turned around, puzzled by the cryptic message, and was startled to see her boyfriend sitting on the corner of her desk.

“Hi, Ben. What are you doing here? I don’t get off work for a few hours,” she asked, confusion evident in her voice.

“I came to get your answer. You got my letter, right?”

She nodded. “Well, yeah, I did. But you didn’t ask me a question. The rest of the paper was blank.”

“But I did, Starlight; watch...”

Ben stood up, and asked the kids to make a straight line, holding their letters in front of their tummies so Miss Rey could see. He pointed for her to sit down next to Maz, then began to sort the letters out. By the time W-i-l-l was spelled out, her mouth had fallen open; understanding lit her eyes. Next came Y-o-u, and then M-a-r-r-y. Tears flowed down her cheeks unchecked, and her hand trembled within Maz’s tiny one. M-e was followed by Star-light? 

Rey stayed seated in the tiny student chair as Ben approached her, kneeling before her. In his hand he held a baby blue box, and inside, upon a velvet bed, sat an emerald cut diamond solitaire surrounded by a ring of diamond chips. 

She looked into his eyes, filled with love for her. He took her hand in his free one.

“Rey, this is where our story began, and at the time, we didn’t even know it,” he chuckled, quietly. “It seemed like the perfect place to ask you to be my wife. Will you marry me, Starlight? Please?” 

Rey leaned in to wipe the tears tracking down his cheeks. “Yes,” she whispered as she closed the distance between them. 

“Oh! Gross! They're kissing!” Armitage said, disgusted. “Isn’t this against school rules or something?!”

“Oh hush, child,” Maz declared, ushering the kids out to the playground for an early recess. “Let’s give them a moment of privacy.”

Cheers filled the room. This was sure to be the best summer ever!

  
  


—————————The End——————————

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope all of you enjoyed my latest story 💝
> 
> I’ll be back to working on my Xmas fic: Merry Christmas, Darling. While starting on another bday gift later in the month. My friend requested enemies-to-lovers and pranks as themes I’m interested to see what I make of that 😂

**Author's Note:**

> It was fun to turn ST characters into kids. I had fun imagining them. It did feel mildly sacrilegious though. 😅 I have no idea what year this takes place. I realize Jurassic Park came out a million years ago, but it was a fun family story so I went with it (the book IS better). For the sake of this story, just assume this author audaciously added the fifty-first state to the US called Tatooine. I meant to change it and never did! ;p I hope to finish the second half of this story this week. Till then...!


End file.
